Over the past 40 years, Pat and Joe Harbison have spent all their non-professional time giving back by founding, chairing, participating (donations and/ bidding) in charities that benefit children with life threatening diseases – particularly cancer.

They initiated the Harbison Family Foundation that, for 25 years, put on the marque fund raising event in Sacramento, the Winter Wine and Food Fest, to benefit Make-A-Wish of Sacramento, Northeast (now Northern) California, Central California and Western Nevada! This event raised 1/3 of the money for the annual budget for wish costs!

With two capitol campaigns, they helped build the “Wishing Place”, which also houses all of the staff / rent free, and initiated an annuity fund guaranteeing that no wish requested of this chapter would ever be denied for economic reasons.

It was only natural that they joined the V at its inception – to fulfill Jimmy V’s wish to fund examiners, pioneers, and cutting edge researchers to combat and cure the hundreds of forms of cancer.

As we all know, it hits someone you love. Pat’s mother, Ruth DeWees Ashway, died of pancreatic cancer. Joe’s father passed away from lung cancer; and recently his 92-year-old mother underwent a mastectomy for breast cancer.

They continue to support the V Foundation and its incredibly generous partner, ESPN, in hopes that one day a cure for cancer will make Make-A-Wish obsolete.